


rose thorns, peppermint and moonstone

by outerbanksy



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Fluff and Angst, JJ needs academic help, Multi, N.E.W.T.s | Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outerbanksy/pseuds/outerbanksy
Summary: JJ sucks at Potions and McGonagall gets him a tutor.What could possibly go wrong ?
Relationships: JJ/Kiara (Outer Banks)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 109





	1. Ain't no rest for the wicked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. this happened, ha. this is entirely netflix's fault
> 
> their houses aren't properly mentioned, because i couldn't find a way to include them all without it turning out weird  
> here's a recap : sarah & jj are both in gryffindor, john b is in hufflepuff, and kie & pope are both in ravenclaw.  
> the chapter's title is a song by cage the elephant that i listened to while writing.
> 
> also, english isn't my first language and i don't have a beta, so I'm sorry about the mistakes...  
> let me know if i've butchered your beautiful language and feel free to yell at me in the comments !!

There are a lot of things JJ isn't fond of. A lot, alright. And right now, McGonagall definitely ranks high on the list.

"Yeah, no, that's not happening, I'm sorry miss M."

He tries to stand up, but she clasps a firm hand on his forearm and okay, he would never have suspected that his Head of House was that strong.

"If you want to pass your N.E.W.Ts, you need help. I know that you've been struggling with Potions all through sixth year, and the level of difficulty is only gonna get higher this year. This is not me punishing you, this is me trying to look out for you, young man. You're a smart boy, JJ, and I will not let you waste a perfectly good opportunity to succeed."

She is staring at him with a raised eyebrow, and JJ knows he will never win this. Even if he's not her biggest fan at this very moment, he's had a soft spot for McGonagall since the day she took thirty points from Slytherin after Barry tripped him in the Great Hall, back in second year. He sighs deeply and lets his head hit the table for a few seconds before looking back at her with pleading eyes.

"You have to promise me that you won't make Pope tutor me ! For the love of Godric, by all that's holy–" She lets his forearm go and gives him an amused smile before cutting him off.

"I promise. I'll let you know when I find someone who doesn't make you want to hex yourself."

McGonagall obviously remembers that pairing them up last year for a Transfiguration paper nearly caused Pope to strangle JJ. Pope is his best friend, but he also is a right pain in the ass whenever studying is involved, and the blond would rather be tutored by Binns than work with him again, and that's saying something. He sighs loudly for what seems to be the tenth time in the fifteen minutes his professor asked him to give her before class.

Great. This is great and just what he needs : a nerdy Ravenclaw idiot breathing down his neck while he's trying not to blow up his damn cauldron when really, he does not give a single fuck about brewing the perfect Draught of Living Dead. So ? Sue him for thinking that there is more to life than academic success.

McGonagall waves for him to have a seat. Five seconds later, a flock of students makes its way into the classroom. Sarah sits down next to him with a grunt, looking positively drained.

"I'm planning on spending the entire weekend sleeping and I will kill whoever tries to make me get out of bed, JJ."

"Sounds like the best plan I've ever heard, honestly."

**_______________**

At dinner, JJ takes his brooding to a new level when he pushes his plate full of untouched shepherd's pie towards John B, who frowns at him, dumbfounded.

"Okay, what is going on ? Do I need to remind you that it's Friday night ?" The brunette asks around a mouthful. "You've been quiet all through McGonagall's class, even when Tiana McAdams turned Rafe into a porcupine, which was the funniest thing I've ever seen, and now you're deliberately giving me your food ?"

"Nothing's going on, I'm just tired. Long week."

John B scoffs, unconvinced. He takes JJ's plate, nearly knocking over his pumpkin juice glass ; JJ catches it in extremis.

"Long weeks never stopped you from being your cheerful, perky, pleasant self before."

JJ almost smiles at that, because his best friend's an idiot. Maybe that's why he loves him so much, though. They were five when they met on the decrepit playground next to where JJ lived. The Routledges had just moved in the neighborhood ; they bought the old cottage on the beach a couple streets over JJ's excuse for a house. Just like that, John B barged into his life and his favorite swing. And JJ, with his scraped knees and dirty Rugrats t-shirt, felt like the luckiest kid in the world.

"And, oh ! How could I forget : you never came down the Quidditch pitch after Transfiguration, even though you knew the Slytherin tryouts were this evening. I don't think you would've missed watching these idiots fall of their brooms if 'nothing was happening'. Spill it, man. You better tell me now, before Pope and Sarah get back from Advanced Arithmancy and gang up on you until you tell us. Just sayin'."

JJ loosens his tie (if it's actually possible to loosen something that's already pretty much untied) with one hand and rubs his eyes tiredly with the other.

"McGonagall is assigning me a Potions tutor, because apparently, I'm way too dumb to study for the N.E.W.Ts by mysel– outch, dude !"

He rubs the back of his head that was just smacked by someone behind him.

"Stop putting yourself down, man."

Turns out 'someone' is Pope, who brought his 'always be positive' attitude with him. He puts down his heavy bag and sits opposite the two boys before stealing a piece of pie off John B's plate.

"Hey ! Get your own, dude. Anyway, I refuse to be talking about homework with you on a Friday night, barely two weeks into our last year at Hogwarts ! The N.E.W.Ts are still far away and I'd rather remind you that your presence is required tomorrow at six PM sharp for the Hufflepuff Quidditch tryouts !" John B says before whooping excitedly – and way too loudly, if the other students' annoyed stares are anything to go by.

"We'll be there to see you build the best Quidditch team Hufflepuff will ever have, dude, don't worry." affirms Pope with a smile.

JJ high-fives him enthusiastically. His best friend's passion for Quidditch is frankly endearing, if you carefully ignore his unhealthy obsession for Ginny 'best Quidditch player the Magic World will ever know' Weasley.

"I don't know if the girls will be there, though," Pope adds. "Sarah seemed dead on her feet after Arithmancy and told me she was going straight to bed, but maybe she'll feel better after a good night's sleep. I heard the Fwooper eggs are to hatch tomorrow, so Kie will probably be with Hagrid all day."

"Or with that dumbass Rafe," remarks John B with disgust, his eyes finding the Slytherin table behind Pope. Yes, John B and Rafe have a feud going on ever since first year, and yes, it's absolutely ridiculous - but Rafe is a douche and John B is his friend, so he's not about to defend the Slytherin.

"Come on, dude, she said nothing's going on between them."

"Yeah, well, I hope Rafe is aware of that, Pope, 'cause he sure likes to act like something's going on between them."

JJ frowns at the thought of Rafe Cameron, moron extraordinaire, and house-elf welfare specialist, fierce lover of all magical creatures, clever as-all-hell Kie together. It just doesn't make sense.

But then again, nothing really does.

**_______________**

When JJ gets back to the Gryffindor common room after dinner, he finds Sarah asleep on the big leather sofa in front of the fireplace. They've had really pleasant weather for what would soon become the end of September, but the common room's hearth is always crackling anyway, enveloping the room in a cozy atmosphere. It's quite late, because time always flies by when the three boys are together, and the only students still awake are two quiet third year playing wizard chess.

"Hey, bud," JJ squeezes Sarah's arm, her eyes fluttering open with difficulty. "Here."

She straightens up and suppresses a yawn before taking the plate he's handing her ; a piece of still warm shepherd's pie and a green apple. She takes a bite of pie hungrily and JJ flops on his favorite bean bag.

"JJ, you're a lifesaver and I will love you until I die. You look like hell, though."

"Wow, thanks a lot, Cameron. You sure know how to be grateful. Arithmancy's still kicking your ass ? Pope said you looked like death after class."

"You have no idea ! I'm starting to regret taking it, but you know. I'm gonna have to find a way to get and 'O' at the N.E.W.T. Can't disappoint my dad."

Here's one thing that Sarah and JJ have in common : their dads are absolute trash. You only need to be two to start a club anyway, right ?

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it."

"Yeah, well, I'm considering asking someone for help, actually. Chloe Nott is like, genius at Arithmancy and she always smiles back at me when we leave the classroom. Plus, she's in Hufflepuff, so there's a ninety nine percent chance she'll say yes."

"Oh yeah, she's a friend of John B, I think. Seems really nice."

Sarah clears her throat, almost choking on her apple slice. Her cheeks turn pink and JJ hopes his smirk isn't too obvious.

"You should go for it, you know."

"Yeah, I'll talk to her at breakfast tomorrow morn-"

"I'm not talking about Chloe, Sarah."

Another thing that they have in common ? Pining for people that definitely don't seem to think of them that way.


	2. Brown Eyed Girl

When JJ wakes up the next day, it's five in the morning and still dark in the dormitory. The only sound breaking the peaceful silence is the soft purring of Kellogs, Louis Finnigan's kneazle. It's soothing in an odd sort of way, knowing that they're the only ones awake in the room - in the whole tower, probably. He knows that he won't be able to go back to sleep ; he never does. Sleep-ins aren't a thing for JJ, haven't been since his mom left home, anyway.

He gets out of bed and immediately, Kellogs jumps down from Louis' trunk and trots towards him with a faint meow, rubbing his head on his ankles. He takes him in his arms and starts petting him.Fur litters his pajamas in less than a minute, but Kellogs humms happily.

He remembers the late summer afternoons spent on the Routledges' dock, snacking on peanut butter sandwiches while John B's father told them stories. He used to tell them about a friend of his that had two kneazles who loved water - he'd always take them with him on boat trips, said they were great swimmers. JJ pictures a beautiful day at sea - blue skies, blazing sun and sea salted skin. Nothing but waves and cries of seagulls. Kellogs licks JJ's cheek, snapping him out of his daydreaming.

"That's disgusting, K. You know what, maybe I won't let you on my boat. You'd steal all the fish I'd catch, anyway," he whispers.

  
He pets Kellogs' head one the last time before putting him down ; he goes back to his comfy basket while JJ Scourgifies his pajamas and changes into a pair of loose jeans and a knitted red sweater. He tries to walk down the numerous corridors and staircases leading to the ground floor as quietly as possible. Most of the paintings he's passing by are empty, except for one : a knight in shining armor is snoring faintly, his back against his horse who's lying on the ground, also sleeping. Horses look like they would make really good pillows, JJ has to admit. Maybe he'd have better nights with his head against a horse's flank ? Who knows. And sure, he'd rather have a biological clock that's not completely fucked than be up at the ass crack of dawn on Saturday mornings, but he also thinks that entering the Great Hall when the castle itself is still fast asleep is one of the best feeling in the world. That's why he stops dead on his tracks when he spots someone sitting at the Ravenclaw's table. His shoes make a squeaking sound that ripples through the completely silent room, causing the silhouette to turn towards him. JJ's eyebrows shoot up in surprise

"Kie ? What are you doing here ?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Did nobody inform you that the early bird catches the worm ?"

She hides what seems to be an amused smile behind her coffee mug while JJ makes his way to her table, sitting opposite her. A cup of green mint tea and a porridge bowl swiftly appear in front of him with a 'pop'. JJ smiles heartily and mentally thanks Winky for always knowing what he wants to eat - sometimes even before he does. He'll stop by the kitchens to thank her before going back to the common room. He takes a sip before speaking again.

"You weren't at dinner yesterday."

"I didn't have time, Sherlock. Hagrid and I were picking up Fluxweeds in the Forbidden Forest."

"And you had to do it in the middle of the night because... ?"

"Fluxweeds need to be picked up between ten o'clock and midnight if you want the roots to contain a high enough level of magic."

JJ whistles in mock appreciation. In fact, it was real appreciation in disguise, but she didn't need to know that.

"We learned about it in fourth year, JJ."

"I totally knew that. Need I remind you who passed the last Potions test with an 'Exceeds Expectations' ? That's right, this guy right there. Me."

"You were paired with Topper and he literally forbade you to put a single ingredient into the cauldron, JJ. Also, he's convinced that he'd have passed with an 'O' if your stirring hadn't been, and I quote, 'chaotic enough to ruin a perfectly good potion, seriously what could be so hard about stirring a fucki-"

"Okay, now you're obviously just trying to sabotage my success, Kie. My stirring is perfectly fine ! Our Elixir to Induce Euphoria was great, alright, Topper's just a pain in the ass."

"Clearly, Slughorn always sighs with despair whenever he's walking by your table because he thinks you're the next Severus Snape."

  
In a show of maturity, JJ blows a raspberry then steals some walnuts from her cup of dried fruit. Kie raises a threatening eyebrow at him before popping a pecan into her mouth. It amazes JJ how easy it is, being here with her. He reminds himself of the last time he saw her in a dimly lit room like this one. The elated atmosphere, the heady smell of firewhiskey, the purple pansies of her pretty flower crown and the silky fabric of her dress, the pleasant buzz passing through his body, her sparkling brown eyes and then - the sharp, sickening burn of shock. Yeah, things ended pretty badly for JJ, the last time he saw her in a dimly lit room, and he never wants to think about it again.

Kie's wand starts to vibrate, startling them both - JJ is grateful for the interruption. She gasps excitedly before standing up, chugging the rest of her coffee and Vanishing what remains of her dried fruit.

"Hey, I was gonna eat that !"

She doesn't seem to care about his shattered dream of various nuts and dried cranberries. From the looks of it, he guesses that tying up a ponytail and trying to tighten a heavy cloak simultaneously while also walking hastily towards the doors is hard work. He smirks around his spoon of porridge.

"Oh, and I won't be mad if you want to name one of the Fwooper's hatchlings after me. Just saying, in case you were afraid to ask ! Anyway, have a good day, honey. Be safe out there. I'll see you tonight at home."

Kie stops walking and turns to him with a badly concealed smile.

"You think you're cute, don't you ?"

"You know I am."

She flips him off. With both hands. But before she turns back, he notices something very much resembling fondness on her face, so it's totally worth it.

_______________

JJ knows he isn't the greatest person that's ever walked this earth, alright. He's messed up, and not always kind, and pretty much the most stubborn idiot you'll ever find. And hey, it's a fact he's accepted. He's made his peace with it. And really, there are people way worse than him that keep doing really bad things without consequences and nobody says anything about it. So he'd like to have a little chat with the person in charge of his karma, because truly, this is uncalled for.

"What did I ever do to you, John B ? 'Cause I only remember being the friend you always dreamed of, the shoulder for you to cry on, the cornerstone of your-"

"JJ, we've only been running for twenty minutes."

"Yeah, well, when I nicely woke you up this morning, I imagined going to Hogsmeade or hanging out in your common room, not being coerced into running laps !"

"You literally cast an Aguamenti in my face at seven in the morning, you absolute tosser ! And regardless of the terrible things you do to me, I'm keeping you healthy and fit. You should thank me, really."

  
Okay, so maybe whoever is in charge of karma saw his morning prank. JJ still thinks that death on the Quidditch pitch from lack of oxygen is a bit over the top, though. The blond is seriously assessing the success rate of at least three escape plans when he spots Chloe Nott approaching the pitch, broom in hand. There isn't enough air left in JJ's lungs to sigh in relief - in plan A, B and C, John B managed to drag him back to the court, so he's glad someone saved him. The brunette trots towards his classmate while JJ just collapses in the grass, panting. _Never again._

"Hi, lads ! Fancy a game ?" Chloe asks enthusiastically, throwing the snitch she just retrieved from her pocket at John B, who catches it easily.

"You guys go ahead," JJ mumbles from where he's still lying, starfish style. "Walking back to the castle is gonna hurt like a bitch after so much suffering."

John B helps him get up with an excited smile before running to the brooms shed, already solely focused on the opportunity to practice. JJ watches them for a few minutes. They seem to be discussing strategic moves, flying next to each other in slow circles. When he sees Jonh B finally tossing the snitch up in the air, he heads back to the castle. He knows his friend will catch it before she does.

His legs burn and he's positively exhausted, but he has to admit that it's a good kind of tiredness, not that he'll ever tell that to John B. When he finally gets back to his dormitory, all the guys are still asleep and Kellogs is lying on the foot his bed. It's eight past ten and the heavy curtains are blocking most of the bright sunlight coming from the windows, so JJ flops on his bed, unsure of what to do. _I'll just close my eyes and rest for a minute._

  
**_______________**

One second, he feels like someone is shaking him ; the next, he's sitting up and blinking furiously.

"What-"

Apparently, if this is real life and not some sort of absurd dream, Kie is sitting on the edge of his bed. Her curly hair is still tied up in a ponytail, but she swapped her black cloak for a peacock blue sweater that looks fancier and softer that anything he's ever owned. She must be satisfied by the utterly confused face he hasn't stopped making since his eyes have properly opened, because she smiles mischievously at him before speaking.

"Honey, I'm home. And I brought homework."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi there,  
> i hope you liked kie's long awaited appearance !
> 
> apparently, i am totally incapable of writing long chapters, so. here we are 
> 
> this chapter's title is a song by van morrison. i listened to it while writing, it reminded me of the pogues' summer shenanigans.
> 
> thanks again to every person that commented on chapter one, it truly means the world to me !  
> don't hesitate to tell me what your thoughts are, i'd be glad to read it.
> 
> see ya xx


	3. Best Friend

JJ doesn't even have time to voice his disbelief : Kie takes two heavy books out of her bag and dumps them unceremoniously on his lap. He grunts and refrains from telling her that maybe she shouldn't be throwing 16th century volumes at his crotch since he'd like to have children one day ; he's till too confused to speak. His eyes are fully opened when he looks down at the textbooks.

" _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore, _Potion Opuscule_ by Arsenius Jigger ? Kie, I don't-"

Suddenly, the realization dawns on him.

"McGonagall asked you to tutor me, didn't she ? For Godric's sake."

"She definitely deserves a gift basket, don't you think ?"

He chuckles humorlessly. This truly is the worst scenario ever. He will have to spend time in the library with Kie everyday, just the two of them (which already qualifies as a catastrophe, as far as he's concerned) and on top of that, she's going to know how fucking dumb he actually is. _Great. This is perfect._ He stands up and starts pacing around the room. Kie's making it really difficult for him to think reasonably. She's watching him from his bed. Where she is sitting. Like it's the most natural thing ever. _It's not._

"I'm not gonna be a Pope about this, I promise."

"Kie, we're not doing this. You have other things to do, things that definitely do not include teaching me the very basics of Potions when the N.E.W.Ts are approaching. I'll talk to McGonagall on Monday and-"

"JJ, I literally do not mind. At all. I need to revise the entirety of the curriculum, anyway."

"No, this is ridiculous. I need to revise the entirety of the curriculums, plural. This is gonna be a waste of your time and besides, I'm gonna be perfectly fine of my own. No big deal, alright ?"

She sighs before standing up and grabbing him by the shoulders. Their faces are way too close and he can smell the sweet, tropical scent of what he assumes is her shampoo. He has to close his eyes for a second, willing his brain to focus on something else than the fact that her hands are still on his shoulders, gripping his sweater firmly. Believe it or not, the way she's scowling doesn't make it easier for him to collect his wits, and honestly, this thought scares him a little. 

"JJ, this is not up for debate. Whether you like it or not, I'm gonna drag your ass to the library everyday for the next foreseeable months and make you memorize the whole Potions section if I need to - and if you fight me on this, I will hex you. Do we have a deal ?"

He covers his face with his hands and lets out a long, exasperated sigh. This girl is the most stubborn being he knows, seriously. But she's also a brilliant witch and a fierce friend, so what is he going to do ? Say no and get hexed ? 

"Okay, okay. Deal. But this is ridiculous, seriously."

The satisfied smile she gives him affects him so badly that he doesn't even realize she let go of his shoulders until he sees her check her watch. He takes a few steps back. _Safety distance, you know._

"What time is it ?"

"One thirty. You weren't at lunch, so I asked around. John B told me you went back to the castle after whatever it was you two were doing at eight in the morning, and Louis told me you never left your bed. Which is technically not true, but I guess he wasn't awake at the crack of dawn."

"Damn, I never meant to sleep for that long. John B made me run laps, this morning. Can you believe this guy ?" JJ scoffs and takes Kellogs, who is watching them curiously from the top of the dresser, in his arms - just to give himself something to do.

The kneazle's fur is soft under his fingers and his purring calms him down just a little bit. It's not that he's nervous, per see, but he's starting to realize how bad this whole situation he is. He's going to fuck this up, he knows it. He won't be able to act like a normal person with completely platonic feelings studying with their friend, and she'll think he's a weirdo, a real one - or worse : she'll find out why he's been hiding behind the bravado and the funny, harmless flirting ever since that night. He can't have that.

"Sounds like a John B thing to do, yeah," she chuckles softly, shaking her head. "Oh, and I was meaning to tell you : Hogwarts is officially the home of three more Fwoopers ! They're already twittering a little, but nothing crazy for now, and we don't have to cast the Silencing Charm until they get really loud. They're the cutest things, JJ."

JJ stops himself from telling her that nobody thinks that barely born, featherless magic chicken are cute, because she looks like she actually does. Her eyes are shining with what he guesses is pride, and a goofy grin spreads across her face. _Okay, maybe they're cute._

"That's amazing ! Hagrid must be glad. It's really cool that you're assisting him."

"Honestly, I think it's crazy that no one here is taking full advantage of all he knows about magical creatures. Sure, we learn things in his class, but there are so many things that can't be included in the curriculum, and he's so eager to share his knowledge... I don't know, I guess I'm just being the most nerdy Ravenclaw I can be, you know," she says with a shrug.

"Well, if you weren't, Elias Boot would be, so really, you're doing him a favor. Poor guy doesn't need any more flaws - outch ! I thought you were a pacifist, Kie. And I'm holding a baby, for the love of Godric."

"You deserved that pinch, and this adult kneazle is not a baby, JJ. Also, do you know who's better than me at Potions ? Elias Boot. Maybe I should ask McGonagall to-"

"Okay, okay, Elias Boot doesn't suck," concedes the blond. Kellogs meows and jumps down, going back to his basket. "See, you hurt K's feelings with your vile words !"

Kie rolls her eyes and shoulders her bag before walking to the dormitory doors, looking at him expectantly. JJ frowns, glancing at the books she left on his bed. 

"Let's go, Sleeping Beauty. You need to learn how to stir like a real wizard."

"What ? Kie, you seriously want us to study now ?"

"Well, we can start now, or we can wait until six and miss John B's tryouts. It's your choice, really."

He's still gaping at where she was still leaning against the door a second ago when he hears her from the stairs.

"Don't forget your books, sweetie !"

_How is this his life ?_

_______________

  
It's a beautiful day : blue skies, warm sun and a soft breeze. It makes Pope really happy, because there is nothing he hates more in this world than the rainy gloom of the Scottish bad weather, which usually lasts for the majority of the school year. Yes, today is a beautiful day, and he whistles all the way to the library, where he'll be spending two to three hours, just like he did every single weekend since he began his studies at the castle. Pope is a man of habit, and his are productive ones.

He smiles sweetly at the librarian who smiles back, always glad to see him. On the way to his usual table, he waves back at Scorpius Malfoy, whose Saturdays are dedicated to his Muggles Studies homework, and gently squeezes Enola McCormick's shoulder when he passes by her table. She needs all the support she can get to go through her Defense Against the Dark Arts' papers. Pope is nearing his usual table when he hears the most ludicrous thing that ever came from the Potions section of Hogwarts' library : JJ's voice. Well, JJ's whispers, anyway.

"Are you _sure_ it's there, Kie ? I can't find it... And why do I need to read a book to learn how to chop roots and pickled animal parts ? You could just give me a knife, you know. I'm pretty good with knives."

"I will not ask you what you mean by that, because I don't want to know, but I can assure you that you won't hold any sort of cutlery any time soon if you don't bring the book back to this table, JJ."

Pope eyebrows shot up in surprise. He nearly runs to the table hidden behind the bookshelves where he heard his friend whispering. Kie is sitting up straight, quill in hand, an actual mountain of books littering the table. The empty chair opposite her is carelessly pushed back, and he can see a parchment and an used quill on the table. She glances up from her book and smiles, unfazed by his puzzled look.

"Hey, Pope. What's up ?"

"What are you guys _doing_ ?"

"Just, you know, wondering if pungous onion and horned slugs should be cut the same way," she replies with a smirk.

"Ha ! Found it," whispers JJ triumphantly from behind the shelves.

He's opened the old, dusty book and is frowning at whatever he's reading in it while walking back to the table, so he doesn't see Pope until he almost bumps into him.

"Oh hey, dude ! What's up ?"

"Okay, why are you guys acting like I shouldn't be surprised to see you work together ? Did I miss something ?"

"Well. McGonagall found me a Potions tutor, I guess."

Pope lets out an incredulous laugh but has the decency to look embarrassed when he realizes it echoed in the quiet room.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you could shut up. Some people are actually trying to work, you know," says JJ in a serious tone that's betrayed by the smile he's failing to hide. 

"This is gonna be _so_ good."

Kie smacks Pope on the arm, and JJ regrets every decision he's ever made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi,  
> it's me again...  
> the title is a song from red orange county that made me think of jiara  
> i hope you liked this chapter !! tell me what you think, what you had for dinner... anything  
> thanks again to those who comment and leave kudos, you guys are the best xx


	4. Stick together like glitter

_3 months earlier_

Kie thinks that if she has to hear the words ‘Midsummer Ball’ another time, she’s going to lose it. And to be fair, she could probably get away with murder by pleading psychological harassment. Seriously, it’s eight in the morning, her coffee isn’t even on the table yet, and Laura Goldtsein is already (or still) talking about the ball.

"So, who are you gonna go with, Kie ?"

"I don’t know, Laura."

"The ball is in three days and you don’t know ? Kie ! I mean, surely, you just can’t decide between all of your boys," says the red haired girl with a giggle. "I’d be hesitating too, if I had to choose. Fine lads, the lot of them !"

Kie closes her eyes in annoyance and suddenly, a blissfully warm mug of coffee appears in front of her. She sighs with relief and takes a sip before biting into her buttered toast. There. She can’t have a conversation with her mouth full now, can she ? It’s not polite. Kie keeps chewing and gives her best fake smile to Laura, who turns to whoever is sitting beside her with a scoff. Laura Goldstein is the worst gossiper she knows, and Kie is convinced that the Sorting Hat was drunk as fuck when it decided to send her to Hufflepuff. She is always prying, asking about the boys and _‘surely, you’ve shagged at least one of them already, haven’t you ?’_ She is the biggest fan of inter house unity you can find, but Laura is making her reconsider at least twice a day the necessity of the rule stating that students are allowed to sit wherever they please in the Great Hall.

She is just finishing her last toast when she spots Sarah and JJ. They’re whispering animatedly to one another while walking towards her table, and Kie shakes her head at JJ’s disheveled blond hair and loose tie. The boy looks like he just woke up at every hour of the day, but he somehow makes it work. Sarah is impeccably dressed, as usual, with her blond hair tied in a neat braid. They’ve always spent quite a lot of time together, what with both being in Gryffindor and all, but lately, they always seem to be scheming in low voices whenever she sees them. It’s just weird. She frowns again and clears her throat.

"Merlin’s pants, JJ, how hard can it be to express your feelin-"

"Hey, Kie," JJ greets loudly, cutting off Sarah’s frustrated whispers. "Mind if we sit here ?"

"You’ve been sitting here every day for six years, JJ."

"Yeah, well, consent is key and I’m making sure you don’t mind having me by your side on this beautiful morning."

He sits down opposite her with a cheeky smile, and she throws a bread crumb at him, smiling despite herself. She can’t remember a single morning where JJ isn’t sitting here, asking nonsensical questions, stealing her food or complaining about homework. She used to hate it when they were younger : he was loud and always joking around, not taking school seriously. Eleven-years-old Kie was opinionated but quiet, and discussing History of Magic while eating chocolate scones was her idea of a well spent breakfast. JJ used to be more of a ‘let’s cast Tarantallegra spells on Rafe and Barry at eight in the morning’ type of guy. It took a long time for them to warm up to each other. Don’t get her wrong : John B and Pope were trouble too, but JJ had a fierceness in him that scared her a little. And now, years later, JJ has gotten really good at camouflage, but Kie can still sense chaos, skillfully hidden behind laughter and jokes. But she doesn’t think she’ll ever mind having JJ by her side.

"You can sit. I already ate my toasts, so you can’t steal them, anyway."

"It’s not my fault it tastes better when it comes from your plate !"

Sarah, who had taken a seat right beside her, snorts and mumbles something Kie can’t make out behind her pumpkin juice glass.

_______________

When she finally enters the Great Hall at eight thirty, Kie is smiling like it’s Christmas. The large windows are open, letting the warm summer breeze and the lazy mid-June sunset spill into the room. Enchanted flower arrangements are floating around, patterned napkins and shiny porcelain dishware adorn black mahogany tables, and catchy music makes her feet twitch. Most of all, every single student of Hogwarts is here, and she’s always thought that the castle is brighter and cozier when filled with laughing wizards. The room looks absolutely breathtaking, and Kie allows herself a moment to bask in the glorious atmosphere. They still have a year to go after this one, but she can’t stop the wave of nostalgia from hitting her square in the chest. Soon enough, they’ll be grown-ups — functioning members of society, with lives of their own and careers, maybe even families. Their Hogwarts years will become a distant memory, a reminder of what they once were — kids. Kids who thought that nothing and no one could ever change the bond they shared. Kie knows that ten years from now, she’ll cherish the souvenir with a longing that will make her hug silly pictures of their group to her chest. She’ll be sitting in front of her fireplace on a Sunday evening and the quiet night will wrap her up like a blanket — and she’ll allow herself to reminisce.

She walks across the room cautiously, avoiding the dance floor where a dozen of students are already having fun. Sarah and the guys are supposedly already here ; checking on recovering Hipppogriffs with Hagrid before getting ready tends to make you late to school dances. The crowd of students who aren’t dancing like crazy is fairly easy to navigate, and she waves back at some Ravenclaws she knows and grins when Rafe raises his glass in greeting when he sees her. He looks classy and smart in his royal blue suit, and immediately reminds her of Sarah. Speaking of the devil, Kie notices her blond hair and white dress at the bar that’s set up near the High Table, at the far end of the room. She knows McGonagall charmed the bottles and the glasses : butterbeer is the only somewhat alcoholic beverage that would be served tonight, and only to seventh years. Did she bring a considerable amount of Pepper Up potion in her expandable bag tonight ? Yes. She knows her friends. Sarah is handing glasses to Pope and John B, and they are laughing like the carefree idiots they are. She does nothing to stop the fond smile from spreading on her face. JJ would call her emotional if he could see her, but luckily, he can’t ; she spots him talking to Louis at her left, his back to her. He’s actually put on a suit : a gorgeous, dark red one.

"What’s up, losers ?" She asks with a smile, walking up to them.

When the two boys turn to her, Kie eyes meet JJ’s, and the excited smile she’s wearing falls from her face when he chokes on his butterbeer. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and she goes to touch his arm when his coughing fit suddenly stops. Louis gives him a weird look before patting his shoulder and leaving them.

"Sorry. It just uh, went the wrong way. You, uh… you look like Aphrodite," he says faintly, cheeks turning pink. Kie laughs incredulously, because she’s never, ever seen JJ looking that awkward. For a reason she doesn’t really understand, she has to physically refrain herself from taking his hand. It’s all very weird, if you ask her. She clears her throat before punching him lightly in the arm.

"That may be the best thing you’ve ever said to me, Maybank. I have to say, you look very dapper. The dark red certainly highlights your bed hair."

"Ha, ha. I’ll have you know I brushed it before coming down, so you can’t attack me like this anymore. I thought intention was what mattered the most ?"

"Butterbeer is what matters the most, bro !" Says John B excitedly, trotting towards them. His cheeks sport a light flush and Kie knows for a fact he’s drank at least three butterbeers if he starts using ‘bro’ in sentences. "Come on, Sarah and Pope are waiting and McGonagall’s speech is gonna start soon. You know, Kie, your idea to go the five of us together instead of bringing dates is actually helpful ! I know the night is just getting started, but there haven’t been a single fifth year asking JJ to dance yet. I call that a success ! Oh, and you look absolutely stunning, by the way. You kinda look like those historical Muggle statues ? You know what I mean ?"

JJ snorts, pinching the bridge of his nose, while Kie cackles. Her friends are absolutely ridiculous, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, guys. i am so, so sorry for the delay !!  
> this chapter is ridiculously short, because i'm incapable of writing more of it.  
> i'm just stuck, and i know i need to post it so that i can hopefully get my creative juices back...  
> the title is from Glitter by BENEE.  
> i'm actually ashamed by the length of this, for real... but i hope you liked the flashback !  
> take care xx


	5. I know I should forget you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen. don't ask me why I disappeared for seven months and then came back to post this ridiculous piece of shit excuse of a chapter.  
> i don't know either y'all.  
> see you next year......... xoxo  
> (i hate me too, fyi) 
> 
> title from "good stuff" by griff

"I can’t do it. I just can’t."

"JJ, for the love of Godric, just-"

"Sarah, there’s no ‘just do it’ ! This is Kie we’re talking about, and she looks stunning in that dress and I look like a fucking Twizzler right now, and she’s fierce and strong and there’s no way in hell she’ll go out with m-"

"Okay, dude, shut up. You are the kindest, most genuine person I know, and if someone deserves to be with Kiara, it’s you. I have no idea what a Twilzer is, but if you look like one tonight, I’m sure it’s a great, beautiful, elegant thing."

JJ can’t help but snort at that ; Purebloods trying to pronounce the names of Muggle things they know nothing about will never stop being the funniest thing. He’s trying to breathe normally and get his nerves under control, but it looks like shaky exhales are the only thing he’ll be able to produce on this fine evening. Sarah’s hand is squeezing his shoulder reassuringly, and for one second, he feels so embarassed about his stupid, _stupid_ feelings that the only thing he can think of is crawling into a hole for like, the rest of eternity.

"Fuck. I’m such an idiot."

"Dude, you know that I, of all people, know what’s like to be scared of rejection. But the thing is, I really can’t see her rejecting you, JJ. She likes you, and you can’t keep pining miserably for the rest of your year. I mean, of your life, since you’ve been head over heels for actual _years_ already."

"Alright, do I need to remind you who’s my _miserable_ _pining_ buddy ? That’s right : you, Cameron. So maybe, the best thing we could do is keep avoiding getting our damn hearts broken."

Sarah looks absolutely defeated at that – she slumps down on one of the steps of the castle and JJ thinks about her white dress that’s going to get rumpled. They’re the only ones outside, and if the chorus of voices shouting the lyrics of Celestina Warbeck’s new song in the Great Hall is anything to go by, everyone else is having a grand old time. The sun is setting over the Great Lake and Sarah is downing the last of her butterbeer. He’s glad he can’t see himself right now, because there’s one thing he knows for sure : they look like absolute losers.

A bark of laughter suddenly escapes his lips, and Sarah snaps out of her dramatic brooding to give him a surprised look.

"We’re ridiculous, Sarah. We really are."

"I mean… yeah. We suck ass, to be honest."

"Yeah. Why can’t we be like other people ? You know, confident ?"

"Right ? Why can’t we _carpe diem_ the fuck out of life ? I mean, Henry Macmillan did ask Ted Scamander to the dance, and much to everyone’s surprise, he said yes."

"No way ! Huh."

"Yeah ! He grew some balls and asked him-"

"That’s kinda sexist."

"My point is," resumes Sarah with a scowl, "Macmillan’s the perfect example of how things can turn out great if you put yourself out there, you know. This guy basically said ‘fuck it, I’ll ask the prettiest guy of Hogwarts to the dance without having even had a conversation with him and I’ll see what happens’ and got his date. Fucking genius."

"You think Ted’s the prettiest guy here ?"

"Why would you focus on this part of my sentence, you absolu-"

"I mean, I can see it. I would’ve said Malfoy, though, but yeah. Sure."

"Huh. Scorpius is pretty hot," agrees Sarah.

He sits down next to her with a sigh, and they both fall silent.

« Fucking Mcmillan, man. » whispers JJ with a snort.

Sarah suddenly stands up, startling him, and proceeds to Vanish her butterbeer bottle with a swift move.

"I’m doing it, JJ. I can’t keep pining like a tosser. You should do the same."

And just like that, she walks with determination into the castle.

"What in the ever loving fuck, Cameron !"


End file.
